All eyes are on Rory McIlroy

Current World Number One golf champion Rory McIlroy talks to the journalists during a press conference announcing his partnership with Nike ahead of the 2013 edition of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf championship in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Jan. 14, 2013. (AP Photo/Manuel Salazar)
— AP

Current World Number One golf champion Rory McIlroy talks to the journalists during a press conference announcing his partnership with Nike ahead of the 2013 edition of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf championship in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Jan. 14, 2013. (AP Photo/Manuel Salazar)
/ AP

McIlroy, however, might have a tough time living up to his own standard. More than just five wins around the world was the quality of competition McIlroy beat last year - a major, two FedEx Cup playoff events, Europe's version of the Tour Championship. The weakest field McIlroy beat all year was the Honda Classic, where the top five included Woods, Lee Westwood, Justin Rose and Charl Schwartzel.

"I want to win golf tournaments. I made that clear from the get go," McIlroy said. "I am very focused on trying to win as many majors as I can. Obviously, winning two majors the last two seasons, I want to try and keep that going and play them well again this year.

"I guess if I go this year and I don't, then it will be a bad year," he added. "If I'm sitting end of 2013 and haven't won a major, I would be disappointed."

Not since Woods won the last three majors and 10 times around the world in 2000 has there been so much curiosity about an encore. Just as intriguing is how his relationship with Woods will unfold. McIlroy was taught by his father, Gerry, at an early age that it costs nothing to be nice to people. His Ulster roots keep from getting too full of himself. He is hard not to like. Woods rarely spoke about McIlroy last year without mentioning at some point that "he's a great kid."

A dozen years ago, Woods became friends with another player that Nike eventually signed - David Duval, who in 2001 became the first major champion with the swoosh stamped on his golf clubs at the British Open. They flew home together from St. Andrews, the claret jug in Woods' possession. They were partners in two World Cups. They flew to Maui together on Woods' jet for the season opener.

About a year later, they no longer were that close. Duval is a more complicated personality than McIlroy, and it was about that time when Duval went into a deep slump through a combination of injuries, confidence and life changes.

Woods moved on to levels not seen in his generation. The longer he was around, the more approachable he was to the other players. And while he has had his share of rivals over the years, McIlroy is the first real threat from the next generation. He is the first player that makes you wonder if Woods getting back to No. 1 depends solely on him.

Are they rivals?

McIlroy doesn't think so because they haven't gone head-to-head in the final hour of a major, or any tournament for that matter.

"Hopefully, at some point, that can happen this year and it would be great to be part of that," McIlroy said.

What makes them rivals, however the term is defined, is that they're the two players everyone talks about. They have the same expectations. They wear the same logo. And now they're in the same commercial.